The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-12-29
Political Temperance Work,

The churches and tho political prohibit
lists are not welcoming Francis Murphy
back to Pittsburgh as, in view Of the good
work hs does, they ought to DO. Since
his work 10 for Pittsburgh, no! for himself,
Mr.. Murphy does not heaitato to say a
word that may reach those who are turn
ing the cold shoulder to the movement.
Here, for example, is ono way he has of
stating come truths aud getting in telling
exhorts!lon at the same time:
A gron. deal OF good could DO accom-.
plished il all the places Of religious wor-
ship could be opsned to this movement.
It IL bad that i. cannot DO 50. l don't
think the people have got anything
against me or against this movement, but
they are q little afraid. Perhaps it is the
great crowds that would come; perhsps it
is that some of them ars too pious to need
tho pledge. They can listen to politics
and to lectures on constitutional prohibit
ton; they can help pass laws for other
people, but they won't pass prohibition
law for Themselves. There's q virtue in a
drop OF tho creature, and people have
collie sometimes.
l don't mean that man can't take n
glass of.liquor and still be sober. There Ia
the uec Of it and the abuse OF it. Francis
Murphy ,daro not touch Il drop Of it; il he
did Filth avenue would not be wide
enough to hold him. But don't call a
man who takes drink, but not to excess,
a drunkard. l only like to see him give
up that one glass for his weaker brother's
sake. There are dozen mon in this city,
who, il they would come here and say
ten words on the platform, would shake
: Allegheny county to tho center. Thew
would DO more than all the laws that will
ever BIO passed. And 1t 10 that one little
glass OF brandy that keeps them of this
platform. Ia 1t not q dear prics to pay for
y drink?
Men, don't wait for any law. Make your
own law. Sign the pledge, save your
money and buy your homcs.
Mr.. Murphy is not the only man who
knows OF people very earnest about
constitutional prohibition who are doing
absolutely nothing to get the individual
man to do bis own prohibiting. This
does not, Of cocrse, apply to all Prohibi.
tIoaista, some Of who IRE earnest on the
line OF practical temperance work, but it
applies to many Of them. Then there ia
the other claes spoken Of by Mr.. Murphy
men who arc eager to prohibit for other
people, but who expect in any case to
manage to Sc! little Triple Tor Themselves.
We have some Of tina! kind Of Prohibi.
tloniGts in this community.
Mr.. Murphy is not fighting prohibition.
He is going ahead in his own way-ap.
proved by experienced and shown to be
good Say-inducipg the individual 10
prohibit for himself. II no could bring
all tho people into his movement prohi.
bition would DO practical, for tho saloons
would DO without customers. That is the
kind OF public sentiment that would on.
force prohibition; and with such q public
1t would DO matter Of indilfar.
once whether We had or had not prohibi.
ton. l5'E
It is prohibition not backed by pro.
hibisosy public sentiment that coeta com.
munitiea dearly, and considerable part Of
the cost lies in the disposition to leave to
tho law very much that must continue 10
depend on individual effort and indiyidu.
u, voluntary restraint until the millennium
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